Windows Package Management

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  • DevynCJohnson
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    Linux users are familiar with the concept of package managers. Package management provides a centralized way to obtain software. Meanwhile, Windows users must go to the software's website to obtain it. However, there are ways to make Windows use a package management system like Linux. Multiple package management systems are available to Windows.

    Win-get

    Win-get is equivalent to Debian's apt-get utility. To install new software, open a console/command-line and type "win-get install PKG_NAME". However, before Win-get can be used, the user must install Win-get by obtaining it from its website. Install Win-get in the C:\WINDOWS directory. Next, open a terminal and type "win-get install launchy". Now, Win-get is ready to be used.

    Win-get supports MSI files and Zip files. To refresh the software catalog, type "win-get update". The software is open-source under the GPL license, but pre-compiled binaries for Win-get are available on the website.

    wpkg

    wpkg is a Windows form of Debian's dpkg. The software is open-source under the GPL license. The package manager is a command-line program that accepts parameters with slashes or dashes ("/h" and "-h", respectively). wpkg can be used to install, remove, configure, and build packages as well as other tasks.

    To use wpkg to install software, type "wpkg -i DEB_FILENAME" or "wpkg /i DEB_FILENAME". wpkg uses Debian files (*.deb) that contain software made for Windows. Packages can be updated by using the command "wpkg—upgrade". Installed packages can be listed with the "wpkg --list-all" command. To uninstall a package, type "wpkg -r PKG_NAME". Just like Debian's dpkg, wpkg can manage dependencies.

    wpkg also acts like apt-get. Therefore, users can install software from repositories.

    Package Explorer (http://windowspackager.org/documentation/package-explorer) is a lot like Synaptic on Debian systems. However, Package Explorer is a GUI for wpkg.

    Chocolatey

    Chocolatey is another Windows package management system that is similar to apt-get. To use it to install software, open a console/command-line and type "choco install PKGNAME". To find software, type "choco search KEYWORD". To update a package type "choco upgrade PKGNAME", or type "choco upgrade all" to update all packages. To uninstall software, type "choco uninstall PKGNAME". More commands can be learned on the official wiki.

    Others

    Other package managers for Windows includes NuGet (http://nuget.org/) and the Windows Store (http://www.windowsstore.com/) which is similar to the Play Store for Android.

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